Dynastream Innovations has announced the general availability of what is claimed to be the only 2.4 GHz wireless PAN (personal area network) technology that's able to run on a coin-cell watch battery. Targeting small consumer products with a minimalist power source, the company's ANT PAN technology was originally developed for wristwatch sports monitoring devices. It can be implemented on a printed circuit board in less area than a dime, and can run for approximately four years on a watch battery, according to the firm.

(Click here for larger view of tiny ANT PAN module)

The ANT wireless-networking technology is offered in three forms: as a single-chip; as a two-device chipset; and as a small “FCC ready” plug-in module. The single-chip nRF24AP1 is available from Dynastream partner Nordic Semiconductors, which embeds the protocol into a 2.4 GHz RF transceiver in a 5 x 5 mm package.

Dynastream provides the following comparison of its ANT PAN technology with Zigbee and Bluetooth wireless.

Market Name	ANT	Zigbee	Bluetooth
Standard	Dynastream Proprietary	802.15.4	802.15.1
Application Focus	Personal Area Networks	Personal Area Networks	Audio Cable Replacement
System Resources	2k – 4k	32KB	250KB+
Battery Life	10yrs1	0.3yrs+	1-7 (days)
Network Size	232	264	7
Bandwidth (kb/s)	1000	250	1000
PCB Area (mm2)	125	Depends on Architecture	Depends on Architecture
Range (meters)	1-30	1-100+	1-10+
Success Metrics	Ultra low Power, and Cost	Power, Cost	Cost, Convenience
Supported Network Types	Star, Peer-to-Peer	Star, Peer-to-Peer	Star, Peer-to-Peer
Minimum Node Configuration	Transmit Only or Transceiver	Transceiver	Transceiver

¹ 1 hour of activity per day, 2 second message interval

(A chart comparing Zigbee, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and GSM/GPRS networking technologies appears here)

Dynastream's ANT PAN technology has already found use in several applications, according to the company. It communicates between Suunto's T6 Wristop computer and Foot Pod speed and distance monitor, for example, and between Bike Pod's cycling computer and heart rate monitor. The protocol has also been embedded into the Atomic Neox EBM electronic ski binding.

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